Samaritans has co-created a brand new journal with The Positive Planner, aimed at supporting further education students with their wellbeing.
They have worked alongside leading student mental health expert Dr Dominique Thompson and UK students to create a unique wellbeing journal specifically designed to support the needs of further education students.
According to NUS1, half of students say their mental health is worse than before the Coronavirus pandemic, citing feelings of loneliness, anxiety, stress and depression. “The Positive Student Planner” supports students both emotionally and practically as they navigate the complexities of student life. It helps them understand their thoughts and feelings better, practice self-care, and tackle the things they most commonly find challenging such as independent living, budgeting, meeting new people and balancing work and fun. It guides them to develop coping mechanisms for tough times, and positive wellbeing habits that will benefit them in the long term. Students will also receive regular emails with tips and shared experience from their peers, by student writers from the young people’s mental health charity Student Life.
Samaritans and The Positive Planner decided to develop the journal after students told them they wanted an alternative to online support, following two years of the pandemic where they did everything online from studying to socialising. Journaling is also on the rise as part of the wider self-care trend, with scientific studies promising benefits to managing mental health 2, 3.
Samaritans encourages people to proactively take care of their wellbeing every day, and not just when things are tough, in an effort to prevent anyone from reaching crisis point. As well as volunteers being there round the clock to offer people a listening ear when they are struggling, Samaritans give people the skills to look after their own mental and emotional health and wellbeing, build resilience and support others. For example, Samaritans’ support also includes a growing number of self-care tools, such as two wellbeing books authored by a Samaritans staff member.
The popular wellbeing journaling brand, The Positive Planner, and Samaritans connected over a growing concern for the mental health of young adults. With Samaritans’ expertise in mental health support and The Positive Planner’s mission to empower people by creating inspiring journals that promote self-care, the two organisations identified a new way to help further education students manage their wellbeing at a time when mental health is the most common reason, by a considerable margin, students give if they are considering leaving university4.
Further education is a significant transition for people embarking on young adulthood – one many find challenging or lonely as they grapple with the reality of their independence. We jumped at the chance to work with The Positive Planner, along with students from a range of backgrounds, to co-design a resource that will help students prioritise and manage their own wellbeing at a time when it has never felt more needed. This is just one of the ways Samaritans is trying to help young people take care of their mental health, following an unprecedented period of uncertainty and change, and we’re excited to see its impact.
Neil Gilbert, Head of Supporter Innovation and Insight at Samaritans
We’re so delighted to be collaborating with Samaritans to create the first student mental health journal, The Positive Student Planner. The figures surrounding mental health in universities have astounded us, and we knew we had to do something. We have both had our own experiences with poor mental health and understand, as a result, how empowering journaling can be. It is often a precursor to finding the words to speak to someone. We hope to inspire a new movement of journaling for better mental health. We believe journaling is for everyone and hope that by encouraging spending some time putting down devices and picking up a pen, this positive habit can become the next wellness movement that young people have been looking for.
Finn Prevett, Co-founder and Director of Positive Planner
Alongside daily journaling pages, content includes meal, time and budget planning, exercises around self-acceptance, problem solving, challenging negative beliefs, and breathing exercises to tackle moments of anxiety and stress.
“The Positive Student Planner” will donate 10% of its revenue to Samaritans, to help the charity continue to be there for anyone struggling to cope. It is available to pre-order now, and to buy online and in stores from 30 August 2022.
ENDS
Notes To Editor
- National Union of Students. Over half of students’ mental health is worse than before the pandemic. 2020. Available from: https://www.nus.org.uk/articles/over-half-of-students-mental-health-is-worse-than-before-the-pandemic
- Sohal, M., Singh, P., Dhillon, B. and Gill, H., 2022. Efficacy of journaling in the management of mental illness: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Family Medicine and Community Health, 10(1), p.e001154.
- Sudirman, A., Gemilang, A. and Kristanto, T., 2021. Harnessing the Power of Reflective Journal Writing in Global Contexts: A Systematic Literature Review. International Journal of Learning, Teaching and Educational Research, 20(12), pp.174-194.
- Student Academic Experience Survey 2022. Available from: https://www.hepi.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/2022-Student-Academic-Experience-Survey.pdf
For more information, please contact:
Nithiya Gnanathas, Partnership PR Manager, Samaritans
[email protected] / 07485345486
About Samaritans
- Anyone can contact Samaritans FREE any time from any phone on 116 123, even a mobile without credit. This number won’t show up on your phone bill. Or you can email [email protected] or visit www.samaritans.org
- Every day, Samaritans volunteers respond to around 10,000 calls for help.
- Samaritans is a charity and it’s the public’s kind donations and around 20,000 volunteers that mean we are always there for anyone struggling to cope. Find out how you can support us or volunteer with us.
- You can follow Samaritans on social media on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
About The Positive Planner
The Positive Planner is a small, independent, UK-based company that designs and produces planners, journals and other stationery products to inspire and help people prioritise their mental wellbeing through gently promoting positivity and the practice of self-care and compassion. Our bright and colourful designs with the eyelash logo are known and loved worldwide - stationery that’s not just good for your mental health, but good to be seen with too!